The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-04-28


ing up her window and leaning out with
distended eyes, pale face and streaming
gray hair. ''What is iti''
$50 eat brlcby tarrierr'
Then Corkey, with final and triumphant
shrek. went in to join his family at break
| fast.
1t was lime O'Clock when he again became
visible to the world. He climbed to the
edge of an ash barrel c. the corner OF
| Frankfort street and Park Row and perched
| there, pulling the battered remnant OF a
discarded cigar, with his disfgured arms
! thoughtfully folded and his torn old hat
balanced rakishly over his left ear. Be-
| meath the rim OF the hat the child's big
black eyes rnamed with lively interest over
the scene before him. All Of Brooklyn was
pouring over the bridge, tunblIng into the
stream of humanity from the east side OF
New York and rushing down Park Row,
swIrling about lamp posts, telegraph poles
! and venderS' carts, running out into the
street aud eddying swiftly around the ash
! barrel on which Corkey sat. unnoticed and
unknown. A piece of muddy board was
| partially buried In the ashes, and Corkey
possessed himself of this and pounded the
barrel vigorously as he whistled popular
| ar but it was all lost in tho roar OF the
human mill race from the bridge. sSs "
| Presently the pOmpous figure OF an elder
| ly and corpulent man came dancing along
| on deft and natty legS-the picture OF Seren-
ity, suavity, benevO!ence and self-esteem.
| A conscious smile illuminated his proper
! looking face, and reSplendent beaver was
| fixed at fetching angle on his head. The
sharp eyes of the crooked and gnome-like
! little creature on the barrels rim dwelt
| on this monument of business rectitude and
integrity as it passed majeStically by, and
! then with a sudden effort ne drew back the
! shingle in his hand and threw it with Such
nervous force and accurate aim that 1t
struck the elderly citizen in the back OF the
head, sent him staggering into the street
and rendered his hat an object of ridlcule.
cOntumely and deriSion. The effort on
Corkey's part was so great that he lost his
balance IN the recOil, tOppled over into the
! half-flled barrel and lay there on his back
with nothing in view but his artificial leg,
which rose from the barrel stif1y sur
mounted by a weather-bcaten old boot,
which twitched back and forth slowly in the
air, as though giving a decOrous outlet TO
its owners mirth.
After the erstwhile pOmpOuS citizen had
been soothed by the multitude and sent
upon his way the old boot which rose from
the barrel was shifted over the edge, eight
little fingers clutched the barrels rim and
slowly lifted into view the sly and mis-
chievous eyes of the boy. He looked alertly
IN every direction like startled squirrel
peering from his nest hole, and then clam
bering hastily TO the ground went hopping g
and skipping across the car tracks with
scrceches of laughter and danced into City
Hall park. Here he propped himself up in
a corner of the fence in front of the mayor S
Office. sitting with folded arms and head
bent forward, gravely acted as the umpire
of a game of marbles that little group Of
street gaminS played Ill the shade.
COrkey was very much absorbed in this
when he heard his name spoken softly, and
looking up saw one of the heroes of the
Fourth ward-a gentleman who, though he
was at this date but nineteen years of age.
had already had the distinction of serving
three terms in prison for picking pockets,
besides having been bowed to in public by
no less than two eminent bunco men. He
wore his lower jaw well forward, his small
eyes looked rather blnky and his red hair
was matted over his forehead. Tight trous-
ers clung to his muscular legs and a sack
coat that sagged III front showed traces of
former splendor in the remnants of snowy
binding and big buttons. His hat was on
the back of his head.
WhenCorkey saw this great man and act
ually realized that the illustrious one was
speaking to him confidentially, a faint flush
came over his thin face, and he sought to
rise
"Set still, Cork" said the great man affa-
bly,, as he shifted his toothpiclI to the other
side of his mouth and cast his weak gaze
over that portion of the park where his
wide experience had taught him the police
were most likely to be, ''y' dom wan ter
make no blubb, v understan', FIR they's too
many lookin' on an tn jobs got to be done
wild dead elegant quietness."
The job! CorlIey's heart beat wild
dance on his ribs and his eyes bulged from
his head. Here was greatness indeed, to
be associated with the famous crook i'll one
of his operations. 1t was the proudest mo-
ment of the child's life.
'DereS a drunk over here bv the foun-
TAIN" continued the crook-he is known to
the world and the police as Bad Man Null
vey, and like all truly great men he is with
out affectation or garish pride-''what's got
some Doodle III the right ham pokit of his
pans. Ii amt in any odder pokit, cause l
bin troo dunn all an l knows where it is,
cause l felt it from d. outside Well, he's a
lynn on his right side wild his pokit towards
de grass. A nice little hid like yerself,
Cork kin pertend t be playin' Oh de grass
an work up t. him an gather de little wad
right in without no one bein' de wiser"
SIS he very drunk, Mulvey!" asked the
boy softly.
He's the mos elgintly drunkestus man."
said Bad Man Mulvey, with the traces of
keen envy showing plainly in his face,
that I've seen since yer fadder wuz brung
home i'll O'Gilligap's ash cart and lay fur
ded fur two days without speakin'" Mr..
Mulvey continued, with far-off look in his
elusive eyes and smile Of fond admiration:
''What beautiful load he had onto him!''
For the first time in many day Corkey
felt that his father was the kind of a man
TO be proud of. Then he thought of the
hob-nailed boot that had hurt him so that
morning, and changed his opinion at once.
Presently Bad Man Mulvey resumed his in
structionS. 1t was an innocent-looking
group. The little street arabs PLAYED mar
bles in the shade, while a red haired youth
leaned idly over fence and talked good
naturedly to a shrivelod-up little cripple,
who hugged himself with his bony arms
and looked upward with breathless inter
est
After little the cripple went hopping
across the plaza and fell to chasing a but
terfiy He circled nearer and nearer the
bench on which a awell-dressed young fellow
reciined in a drunken stupor, snoring
and finally dropped on the
grass behind the bench. as though ex-
hsHsted by the exercise. As he lay there
he felt that the greatest moment of his life
was at hand. But he knew that the eyes of
the great Mulvey were on him, and he
haadad the ADVICE of that artist ns q, A..